A keyboard controlled electronic embossing machine of the kind described in copending application having Ser. No. 616,639, which application is assigned to the assignee of this application. The embossing machine comprises a keyboard controlled die head bearing embossing dies. The die head is rotatable in one or the other direction of rotation in order to place into the embossing position the die pair whose character has been selected to be embossed, this placing into position being over the path representing the shortest distance between the die pair last actuated and the die pair next to be actuated. The die head is lockable in the embossing position by means of a brake device. Parts connected to the die head for rotation therewith and a scanning device which is fixed at an angular position are provided under whose influence one of two circuits, which determine the direction of rotation of the die head, is to be closed. When the die which is selected through the keyboard control does not correspond to that die already located in the embossing position, an output signal from the scanning device, which corresponds to the numerical code address of the die already located in the embossing position, and an output signal of the keyboard control, which corresponds to the numerical code address of the die selected by the keyboard, are supplied as input signals to a logic control. This logic control includes a comparator for comparing the input signals and delivering a signal to stop the die head and to trip the embossing operation in the case of coincidence of both the input signals, i.e., when the die selected through the keyboard control has arrived in the embossing position.